Four the Future - December 20

The current controversy over the construction of a new Spokane County Jail.

• King County faces glut of jail space
  Source: Seattle Times; December 8, 2010
  Summary: King County has such a large a glut of space in their jail that they are reducing their per inmate fees to the cities in order to stay competitive. This is despite increasing costs.
  
  
  In addition, there are several cities in south King County which are considering the construction of another jail. The council is considering a reduction in the corrections workforce, but the last time the King County Council reduced the number of corrections officers, their union sponsored an initiative to reduce the number of county council members to 9 from 13. If the number of inmates continues to decrease, they will consider closing the Kent jail.
  
• Medical Lake site chosen for jail in 2-1 vote
  Source: Spokesman-Review; September 29, 2010
  Summary: Spokane County Commissioners voted 2-1 (Mielke and Richard in favor, Mager opposed) to adopt the "Medical Lake" site for the new county jail and voted, by the same margin, to declare an emergency to exempt the necessary land use change from the normal comprehensive plan amendment schedule. The site at the I-90 Medical Lake exit was chosen despite two consecutive studies that recommended a site near the county courthouse. Operational costs at the downtown site are lower due to transportation costs. The comprehensive plan will still need to be amended to allow the jail at that location. Sheriff Knezovich said that the downtown jail is overcrowded and the Geiger Corrections Center is unsafe. Spokane County laid off 67 corrections officers this summer due to a reduction in inmate population. Spokane County Commissioners have scheduled a ballot measure for April to raise taxes to build the jail. A group called "No New Jail Project" has been formed to oppose it.
  Opinion: The first time the recommendation favored the downtown site, the same county commissioners (Mielke and Richard) didn't like it. So, they ordered a new study so they could get an answer they liked. But, the second study said the same thing: build it adjacent to the county courthouse. The are significant advantages to having the jail near the courthouse that can't be swept away by simply doing a new study. Not only is it better for transportation issues, but for providing services to the people who are being incarcerated and their families. Also, for those who are not incarcerated but can benefit from the same kinds of family- and community-centered services, having a downtown location is better for them as well.
  
• Jail site choice a crime
  Source: Spokesman-Review; December 16, 2010
  Summary: A letter to the editor by Bart Haggin. The jail shouldn’t be placed out on the West Plains. The transportation costs will be huge. Better, yet, don’t build it at all because "building more jails and prisons to prevent crime is like loosening your belt to prevent obesity."
  Opinion: Since transportation costs escalate faster than general inflation, and the indirect costs of sprawl is also well understood (after all, this new jail will need sewer and water services and new roads, etc.), the 40-year ROI that Mielke and Richard cites is actually not anywhere near that long. In the final calculation, Mielke and Richard are seeking the more expensive option.
  
• County Jail Populations Drop: So What Should We Do?
  Source: American Civil Liberties Union of Washington; December 14, 2010
  Summary: While several King County cities are considering the construction of a new jail and Spokane County will be asking for funding for a new jail in spring 2011, jail populations are going down and jails are experiencing a glut of space. The lessons here are: 1) population forecasts are unreliable, and are determined by policy changes not societal factors; 2) crime rates have been going down for decades, but populations have increased despite it; 3) alternatives to incarceration are working, so investments should be in rehabilitation programs, not new jails.
  Opinion: No one claims to know why there is a drop, but it's acknowledged that a large part is the increased use of rehabilitative programs, rather than merely storage of offenders in little boxes where they can turn bitter and learn the more advanced skills they could not out on the streets. It is easy to conceptualize that separating people from society makes them less connected to society, and less concerned about society's welfare. Keeping them with their families and in society could, for those who can be rehabilitated, reduce recidivism. Ironically, recent cuts reduced the alternatives program in Spokane County. So, who knows, perhaps the Spokane County Commissioners will increase crime enough to need the jail after all.
  

Spokane County Urban Growth Area Update

Tonight, Wednesday, October 13, 2010, Spokane County is holding an open house regarding an update to the Spokane County Urban Growth Area (UGA) at the Spokane County Public Works Building, 1026 West Broadway Avenue, Spokane, WA, from 4-7 PM. The Land Quantity Analysis (LQA) is updated every 10 years to ensure that there is sufficient land available for accommodate growth.

(For those of you who believe we've already grown past the region's ability to sustain us, RCW 36.70A.130(3)(b) states that the UGA "shall be revised to accommodate the urban growth projected to occur in the county for the succeeding twenty-year period." Denying availability of land for growth is not an option. Not adding land for that purpose is an option, however.)

The results of the LQA are as follows: We're already set. The LQA projects a 2031 Spokane County population of 612,226, and the current ability to accommodate 4,864 more than that. It also analyzes the availability of commercial lands, and concludes that there's 60% too much available. But, that's nothing. It also finds that there's more than 4-1/2 times as much industrial land available than is necessary.

Conclusion: were not just sprawling now, if we change nothing except grow, we'll still be sprawling in 20 years.

Does this end the debate? Not at all. Some of the first salvos of the battle have already been fired, with some developers arguing that because Spokane County isn't building densely enough, we need to spread out more. So, unless the planning department gets your input, the UGA may expand despite this analysis.

(Did I mention that planning is an inherently political activity?)

The county released two documents, one technical, the other summary. If you'd like to take a gander, here they are:

• LQA Brochure
• LQA Technical Brief

Four the future - December 12

Today: transit expansion in Idaho, densification near Liberty Lake, traffic in Millwood, and making a future for Rockford.

• In brief: Free bus system gets boost
  Source: Spokesman, 091212
  Summary: Citylink received $1.7 million to build a new transit center in Worley, near the casino, and purchase 4 buses. $1.5 million was from the federal stimulus package. The tribe will also be providing $225,000 in operating expenses for the system.
  Opinion: Rural transit systems are heavily dependent on federal funding, and Idaho compounds that unfortunate situation by being hostile to local transit funding. So, since we're all paying for it in addition to our local transit taxes, would it be too much to ask to put the transit center near the rail line so that it can do double duty if the Plummer line starts running passenger service from Spokane?
• In brief: County’s zoning vote Tuesday
  Source: Spokesman, 091212
  Summary: Spokane County commissioners will be considering a proposal to increase residential density next to Liberty Lake. The proposal faces almost unanimous opposition from the neighbors, in part due to fears of lake contamination by the increased density.
  Opinion: The lake won't be harmed by the increase in density itself--the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District does a handsome job of protecting that critical watershed. My only concern about it is the chance that increased traffic along those county roads may increase oil spills to an area which may not have adequate catchment. (Which the county could fix, but these roads aren't race tracks, so....) Having said that, the density increase would be out of character in that neighborhood, and it would violate the comprehensive plan. Not that that has stopped Richard and Mielke before.
• Council delays traffic alterations until spring
  Source: Spokesman, 091212
  Summary: The City of Millwood conducted a traffic study and found that in 11 of 12 locations, the standard measurement for traffic speeds exceeded the posted speed limit. They will be looking into ways to slow down traffic. The City will conduct public hearings when the weather gets warmer. Additionally, the council passed their required critical areas ordinance to protect the aquifer, fish and wildlife.
  Opinion: Millwood is rightfully proud of its history and character. It is a beautiful community. High speed traffic is a detriment to the image they wish to maintain. However, Millwood will be in for a shock as the County proceeds with the Bigelow Gulch project and makes their main street a part of the de facto North Spokane Corridor. If they think they have traffic concerns now, just wait.
• Building a city’s identity
  Source: Spokesman, 091212
  Summary: the Town of Rockford had received an award for their community economic development activities and grant monies to improve Rock Creek, which flows through town. It has issues with both flooding and erosion. Mayor-elect Micki Harnois wants to crate a small-town community that people want to stop in.
  Opinion: My personal opinion is that Rockford is a good little town, and I know my little towns. I am told that there are several challenges in Rockford, not the least of which is that the fire station is on a flood plain. As, indeed, is much of the town. However, their determination is welcome, and the fact that they've invited engineers and planners into the conversation shows they're serious about their community's future.